how many shadowing hours are consider competitive?

[greatness91]

I was hoping you guys could let me know how many hours of shadowing is considered competitive? This particular MD that is a neurosurgeon is going to let me shadow him 30-40 hours a week for about a month. He said if I want to come in more I can. He is even going to let me *watch* him do surgeries.

 

I will meet his PA and watch what the PA does during surgery. He also told me afterwards that he will let me talk to some other doctors/PA's in different specialties to shadow them as well and ask questions. I believe I will learn a lot. Is shadowing highly valued by PA schools even though its required or is it just a filtering out method? Are LOR's highly valued or just a filtering out method?

 

I was also wondering if you guys think PA schools frown upon the apps who are under 25 years old. I am aware that some programs average age are 27ish and up. I do have around 2000 or more hours of patient contact. I was a (CNA)

 

Let me know what you guys think. Thanks for the help.

[rcreek]

I placed much more emphasis on gaining direct patient care experience than on shadowing. However, I shadowed 3 different PA's in different specialties for a total of 24 hours. It also helped that I have worked with many PA students doing their clinical rotations.

 

And don't let your age according to your DOB worry you, your actual maturity level and experience is what counts! At every interview I attended there were always a few people in their early twenties.

 

It sounds like you are well on your way. You already have what most programs would consider to be a competitive amount of health care experience. Good luck!

[generalfluff]

The neurosurgery shadowing experience is a really nice opportunity not only to observe what a PA does but also good to get an LOR from. Ask and try to learn what it is they're doing to the extent you can talk about it at length on your essay. I learned a lot on dermatomes and outpatient surgical Ortho care from both my shadowing experiences, and good advice on OR conduct. The ortho PA was kind enough to let me assist as he did MS physicals, get history, look at radiography, then wrote me a nice LOR at the end. I wouldn't be exaggerating if I said it landed me interviews and acceptances at both places I applied to.

 

If it helps you feel any better, I was accepted to PA school on my first time applying at 21 years old. My HCE was somewhat average at around 1600 hours split between SNF work and drug research.

 

Take PA admissions like this. The grades, HCE, and shadowing experience (all the numbers basically) are used for the initial screen. These define how competitive you are quantitatively for the academic rigor of PA school, and how you compare to other candidates they can pick from (having 1500+ applicants really allows them to be that selective). The LORs, personal statement, and your interview define who you are as a person. In all those three, talking and relating your work/healthcare experience and personality traits are what get you through the second screen. Consider everyone equal at the interview stage. From there in, it's how you sell yourself as a great addition to their incoming class. You're all good candidates. What adcoms want though are the best ones who have good "fit" with their program.

 

Don't mind customizing how you present yourself at each interview, and don't answer their questions with things they could have read on your application (skip the numbers talk).

 

If I did it, so can you!

 

PA classes tend to be more diverse these days, and my classmates were actually quite warm and welcoming to me and several others who were young 'uns.

[dchampigny]

30-40 hours a week for a month is a very long time to be doing shadowing in one area. Although it is important to get a solid number under your belt, you also want to shadow more than one area of medicine. As previously mentioned in this thread, you must also find a way to achieve some direct health care experience, as that is more important.